QLi5 Therapeutics Secures €6.2M to Advance Novel Proteasome Inhibitor ADC Platform
核心洞察
QLi5 Therapeutics (搜索), a Max Planck Institute spin-off, raised over €6.2 million from Korean biotech Qurient (搜索) and Nobel laureate Robert Huber to develop its proteasome inhibitor (搜索)-based ADC platform.
The company's novel non-covalent proteasome inhibitor (搜索) payload demonstrated strong anti-cancer (搜索) efficacy in preclinical models, including tumors resistant to conventional ADCs like Enhertu.
QLi5's technology aims to overcome toxicity limitations of first-generation proteasome (搜索) inhibitors by delivering them precisely to tumor cells through ADC targeting rather than systemic administration.
QLi5 Therapeutics (搜索) GmbH, a spin-off from the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry (搜索), has completed a capital increase totaling over €6.2 million to advance its pioneering proteasome inhibitor (搜索)-based antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform. The strategic investment was significantly backed by Korean biotech company Qurient (搜索) and QLi5 co-founder Robert Huber, the 1988 Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
The funding will specifically advance development of QLi5's next-generation proteasome inhibitor (搜索) technology, which represents a novel approach to overcoming limitations of existing ADC therapeutics and first-generation proteasome (搜索) inhibitors.
Novel Non-Covalent Mechanism Shows Promise
QLi5 is developing proteasome (搜索) inhibitors based on a novel, non-covalent mechanism of action. The platform was developed in close collaboration with Nobel laureate Robert Huber at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry (搜索) and is designed to enable highly potent and selective targeting of the proteasome while offering improved pharmacokinetic properties, broader tissue distribution, and a more favorable safety profile.
In October 2025, QLi5 and Qurient (搜索) presented compelling preclinical research results for their proteasome inhibitor (搜索) payload-based ADCs at the AACR-NCI-EORTC conference. The results demonstrated that the proteasome inhibitor payload showed excellent anti-cancer (搜索) efficacy in animal models that were resistant to conventional TOP1-inhibitor-based ADCs, such as Enhertu.
The potential as a "universal payload" was also confirmed, as its efficacy was not limited to specific cancer (搜索) cell types but could be demonstrated across various cell types and target models.
Addressing Precision Delivery Challenges
QLi5's approach focuses on delivering proteasome (搜索) inhibition more precisely to address toxicity issues associated with first-generation proteasome inhibitors like bortezomib. According to the company, early proteasome inhibitors caused significant toxicity due to lack of precision in delivery and systemic distribution.
Instead of administering proteasome (搜索) inhibitors systemically, QLi5 is developing them as payloads for ADCs, so that the drug remains largely inactive in circulation and is only released once inside targeted tumor cells. This approach aims to widen the therapeutic window and reduce systemic side effects.
Strategic Partnership and Scientific Foundation
QLi5 Therapeutics (搜索) was founded in 2019 as a joint venture by Qurient (搜索) in collaboration with Lead Discovery Center (搜索) (LDC), the Max Planck Society, and Robert Huber. Huber received his Nobel Prize in Chemistry for being the first to decipher the three-dimensional structure of the proteasome (搜索), a cellular proteolytic apparatus.
In the current funding round, Qurient (搜索)'s participation substantially increases the company's voting stake in QLi5, indicating a strategic commitment beyond financial investment. The continued participation of Robert Huber underscores his confidence in QLi5's technological expertise and future potential.
"This capital increase is far more than mere financing; it is a strategic decision to fully unlock the enormous potential of QLi5's PI-mechanism technology as a next-generation ADC payload," commented Kiyean Nam, CEO of Qurient (搜索). "With the continued support of Robert Huber and the strong network of LDC and MPG, we will accelerate development to become a gamechanger in the global ADC market."
Exploring Underutilized ADC Payload Space
QLi5 operates in a relatively uncrowded space within the ADC payload landscape. Most approved ADCs today rely on a narrow set of payload mechanisms, dominated by microtubule inhibitors and topoisomerase 1 inhibitors. Proteasome (搜索) inhibition remains rare in ADC formats, meaning clinical validation is still ahead for this approach.
The concentration of existing payload mechanisms has driven exploration of next-generation payload classes that could sidestep shared resistance mechanisms or broaden the settings where ADCs work effectively.
Max Planck Innovation GmbH (搜索), the central technology transfer organization of the Max Planck Society, supported QLi5's establishment from the outset by structuring and managing the underlying intellectual property.
"Spin-offs like QLi5 exemplify how breakthrough discoveries from Max Planck research can be successfully translated into broadly applicable innovative therapeutic approaches with significant patient benefit," said Ulrich Mahr, Member General Management at Max Planck Innovation GmbH (搜索). "By combining outstanding basic science with strong industrial partnerships, QLi5 demonstrates the power of academic entrepreneurship in advancing cutting-edge biomedical innovation."